Open Paradise
by LauraCherie
Summary: The meshing together of some of my favourite eps with some new characters and twists. Emily's sister is dragged unwillingly into the world of serial killers and helping proves especially dangerous for one team member, but will it be worth it in the end?
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: **The fact that this is on here and not tv is (unfortunate) proof that I own nothing except any original characters._

_**A/N: **When reading this please disregard everything that you know about Emily Prentiss' past. For the purposes of this story she is not the daughter of a diplomat; her parents are absent and she has a younger sister. Oh and I'm not a profiler and unlike the show's actual writers I don't have access to expert help so please forgive any mistakes I may make. I'm trying!_

_Please R/R, I'd love to know what you think and why you think that :)_

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**Christiansburg, Virginia**

Darkness shrouded the quiet suburban street, the cold winter air closing tightly around the matching double storey houses. Footsteps crunched through the leaves, their sound the only sign of movement. Yellow eyes traced the man's progress as he crossed the yard in a low crouch. He travelled slowly, wary of being seen but confident he was alone and invisible. He reached the shelter of the house and his watcher leapt from her perch on the fence, crossing the grass gracefully to rub against his legs. Swearing at a whisper, he kicked the cat roughly out of his way, not looking back to it as he continued around the side of the home.

Inside it was equally quiet and dark, the only sound, the regular breathing of the three occupants as they slept. The man slipped quietly through the unlocked back door, thanking small town security, or lack thereof, as he pushed it closed behind him. He couldn't risk using lights but it didn't matter, every house on this street had the same layout, his only danger was awkwardly placed furniture. Stepping quietly, successfully managing to avoid creaky floorboards and table corners, he made his way up the narrow staircase to the bedrooms. In the blackness, he knew it would take him exactly five steps to be standing between two closed doors. He glanced towards the one on his right, listening intently for any sign its inhabitant wasn't sleeping. In his mind he could see the room, he didn't know exactly how it was decorated but he knew there was room for little more than a bed and dresser, maybe a small bookshelf under the window that overlooked the street. Satisfied he wasn't going to be overheard, he turned to his right, opening the wide, wooden door slowly. Once he was closed in the room he turned on his torch. Two figures lay sleeping on the bed, they lay closer together than necessary on the large mattress. As he stood looking down at their familiar faces, he smiled; they would be his favourite yet.

Across the hall, the screaming startled the brunette awake. It was silenced before she could fully grasp consciousness and she sat up in confusion. Did she really hear it or was it simply residue from an instantly forgotten dream? Shaking her head and running a hand through her dishevelled hair Allie lay back down. Moments later her eyes widened as a door opened and footsteps padded towards the stairs. Was someone dragging something? Frowning, she swung her legs off the bed and reached for the lamp. Muted light filled the room and she stood slowly, listening carefully for further noise. Grabbing her hoodie from the back of her desk chair, she headed cautiously into the hall. It was empty but her housemates' bedroom door stood wide open. From where she stood, Allie could see the unmade bed; sheets and duvet thrown back as if someone had leapt up in a hurry. There was no sign of her friends. Her heart was in her mouth as she started for the stairs. Sounds of sudden movement on the lower level left her paralysed, and it took every ounce of her willpower to force her feet forward. She was on the top stair before she saw them. She noticed Zach first; he was slumped in the front doorway. She could barely make him out in the faint light but he wasn't moving and she gasped in horror as her eyes focused and she saw the blood. His face and bare chest were cut badly and the blood covered nearly every inch of his torso. His blonde hair was matted to his head and his pants were ripped and dirty. As she watched, her mind moving as sluggishly as her tired body, two more people came into her line of vision. The man was tall and dressed in black, his face was covered by a mask of some kind; ski or balaclava, she wasn't sure of the right name. He was dragging another person by the hair. She involuntarily cried out as she recognised her best friend. Bree's eyes snapped to meet her own and Allie's breath stopped at the unbridled terror they held. The man looked up too. His eyes narrowed and he dropped Bree. Her mind and body snapped to attention at once and Allie spun on the spot, sprinting back down the hall. She slammed her bedroom door, clicking the lock into place seconds before he reached it. He pounded angrily on it but the wood was solid and held. Allie crossed the room in two steps, lunging for the cellphone on her desk. He was relentlessly kicking at the door and she knew it would only be a matter of minutes before it gave way.

**FBI Headquarters, Quantico**

The building was quiet, most agents had left for the night and the morning shift wasn't due to start for hours yet. The exhausted team lugged their overnight bags through the lobby and into the abandoned bullpen.

"Remind me why we do this again?" Supervisory Special Agent Emily Prentiss sighed as she sank into her desk chair.

"Them" Aaron Hotchner said simply, motioning to the wall plastered with faces from past cases as he passed it, heading to his office.

"Right." She agreed, closing her eyes and leaning back in her chair as throughout the room her colleagues began to drag themselves back to their feet. "Going home?"  
"Mmm." Spencer Reid nodded thoughtfully, "I have an early morning."

"You know it's the weekend right Reid?" Derek Morgan laughed as he pulled his leather jacket on.

"I know. I just have...things planned."

"Things?" Emily raised an eyebrow.

"I'm guessing none of those "things" would be a visit to a bar?"

"Um, no." Reid shook his head, ignoring the mocking from the older agents and turning to pick up his bag. They all walked towards the elevators together, their lighthearted banter slowed only by their exhaustion.

"Hang on." Emily frowned, ducking into a small, glass paned office. "You're not still working are you?"

From her desk, JJ looked up, shaking her blonde hair from her face. "My work is never done."

"But it's the weekend." Morgan's head appeared around the doorframe. "I know you have more of a life than that girl."

"I'll have a life when I've figured out where we're going next." She smiled weakly, motioning to the pile of official folders littering her desk. A large screen fixed to the wall filtered through a slideshow of crime scene photos, mug shots and various rap sheets and files.

"These the options?" Morgan moved fully into the room, watching as they slid across the screen.

"Yeah." JJ nodded with a sigh, "That's the most recent one to come through. Break and enter, two killed, thus far unidentified, only about an hour ago. There's been a few in the area, police think it's the same unsub."

Standing in the doorway, Reid felt Emily stiffen next to him. He turned to her curiously but she was already moving towards the screen.

"Pause it." Her voice was strangled. JJ reached for the remote and froze the screen.

"Go back."  
JJ skipped back through the photos slowly.

"Stop! No, forward...a little more...that one!" She pointed to a picture of a tall house surrounded by trees and police tape. "Where is that? What's the address?"

"Uh..." JJ rifled through the piles of paper for a moment before pulling a small sheet out, "770 Republic Road, Christiansburg, Virginia."

"Oh God."

"Emily?" Morgan stepped towards her, placing his hand on her shoulder as she turned towards him, her face white. "What's wrong?"

"That's...that house..." She choked out, "That's my sister's house."

The room descended into silence for a split second before everyone leapt into action at once.

"I'll get the paperwork started, make sure we can have the jet." JJ gathered her folders and hurried from the room, followed quickly by Reid,

"I'll get Hotch."

Morgan dug into his jacket pocket, pulling out his cellphone, "Call her." He suggested, holding the phone out to Emily. She took it and dialled quickly from memory. She listened desperately as it rang exactly six times before clicking over.

"Voicemail." She whispered, handing the phone back.

Across the hall, the BAU's glass doors burst open as Hotch and Reid raced to meet the others. JJ was a beat behind, phone to her ear, arms full of paper. "Wheels up in half an hour."


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N _**_I should probably also mention that David Rossi won't be appearing in this story. It's nothing personal, he's a great part of the team on the show, but writing for too many characters drives me nuts and he's not one of my favourites so he got sacrificed for my creative sanity (an oxymoron if ever I saw one)._

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**Christiansburg, Virginia**

The sun had barely risen. The dim light of dawn filtered through the trees, lighting the scene with an eerie sinisterness. Hysteria was slowly beginning to rise as the neighbourhood arose to find the street filled with police cars and yellow crime scene tape. Two huge black Suburbans pulled up behind the last row of cars and the team climbed out, walking towards the crowds as one. Flashing her badge and ducking under the tape, Emily stared up at the familiar house. Her stomach was a pit of lead, she'd tried her sister's number a dozen times on the plane but got directed back to voicemail every time. A group of officers were standing in the drive, blocking her from getting a good view of the body that lay there.

"Wait." Morgan's hand on her shoulder stopped her progress towards the house. "You wait here, I'll go."

"No." Emily shook her head, "You don't know what she looks like. I'll do it."

"No, Prentiss wait, you don't have to-" Morgan's protest was cut short by a loud cry. Turning towards the parked police cars, he couldn't describe the strangled noise that escaped from Emily's throat. A small brunette, dressed in plaid pyjama pants, a baggy hoodie and unlaced doc martens, sprinted across the road, flinging herself into Emily's waiting arms.

"Oh thank God, thank you." Emily murmured as she hugged her baby sister. "You're ok?"

Allie nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I'm ok."

"I tried to call you."

"Oh." Allie pulled back looking confused, letting the police department blanket drop from her shoulders and instinctively feeling for her pockets before glancing down and seeming to remember what she was wearing. "My phone's in my room."

Behind them, Hotch cleared his throat, "I'm going to find the lead detective, see what I can find out."

"I'll come with you." JJ stepped forward, "I'll have to sort out the paperwork if we're going to take on the case."

The mention of the case hit Allie like a punch to the stomach and she shrank back against Emily. Reid pushed himself off the car he'd been leaning against and moved closer as Morgan gently asked for Allie's attention.

"What happened here?"

The tears drying on Allie's cheeks again flooded her eyes and she turned away from the stares to look to her sister, "She's dead." She whispered, "He killed her."

Emily sucked in a sharp breath, "Bree?" She suspected the answer but that didn't make the confirmation any easier.

Allie nodded disjointedly, her breaths coming in shaky gasps, "And Z-Zach. He killed Zach too. I saw, but he, he wasn't...you know...yet. He was m-moving. They were looking at me. Bree was s-so scared. I didn't know what to do."

"Did the man see you?" Morgan asked, his tone still gentle.

"Yes. He, he chased me. I hid and he t-tried to get in. I was s-scared and then he left. I _thought _he left but he didn't, he killed them. They didn't even do anything. We didn't do anything!" Allie finished in sobs, turning her face into Emily's shoulder as the elder's grip tightened protectively.

"Did you know the man?" Morgan pressed, ignoring the warning look Emily shot at him.

"No." Allie hiccuped. "I don't think so."

"But you saw him?"

"He had a mask on."

Morgan opened his mouth but his next question was silenced by the return of Hotch and JJ.

"We ok here?" Hotch quickly looked around the group, taking in the tears of Allie and the pained look on Emily's face.

"Yeah." She nodded. "As ok as can be expected."

"Alright," Hotch called everyone back to business, "This is officially a BAU case now so JJ and I will head to the precinct and set up there. Morgan and Reid, you take the crime scene; check out the house, talk to the neighbours. Prentiss, get Allie sorted and I'll meet you all back at the station."

Everyone moved towards their assignments. Hotch and JJ climbed into the closest SUV and disappeared around the corner. Reid and Morgan headed for the blood stained driveway. While they were talking, the bodies had been removed, but Emily still placed herself in Allie's line of vision and led her to the back door instead of the front. The kitchen and living room looked untouched, but stepping into them, Allie felt suddenly exposed and vulnerable. The whole place seemed tainted somehow. Emily noticed her hesitation and paused.

"You ok?"

"No." Allie whispered, "I don't want to be in here."

"Ok." Emily nodded, turning quickly and leading the younger girl outside. Once back on the crowded street, she motioned for Reid to join them. "Take Allie to the precinct, I'll meet you there in a bit."

"What are you going to do?" Allie frowned uneasy at the prospect of being separated from her sister again.

"I'll help Morgan examine the house and get you some clothes. You'll be fine with Reid."

"I know." Allie glanced over her shoulder at the young doctor. "Just don't take forever ok?"

"I won't take long at all." Emily promised, hugging her sister tightly before moving back towards the house.

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The drive across town was spent largely in silence. Reid drove while Allie stared out the window. She sat slouched low in her seat, her feet tucked underneath the blanket she held tightly wrapped around her frame. Her gaze was vacant, her mind drifting a million miles away. She would imagine she was anywhere but here.

Glancing at her, Reid felt a surge of sympathy, he forgot what it must be like for the people who weren't surrounded by this everyday.

He cleared his throat lightly, "Are you hungry?"

"Um..." Allie pulled her eyes into focus and turned to look at him, "What?"

"When was the last time you ate?"

"I don't know. Yesterday. Lunch, maybe dinner. I don't really remember."

"Do you want to stop and get something?"

"I'm not really hungry."

"You should eat." He looked back over at her as he pulled the SUV to a stop at a red light.

"I actually feel kinda sick."

"Understandable." Reid nodded. "Are you cold?" He reached for the heater, turning the dial only slightly so a gentle warm flow filled the car. Allie smiled thinly in thanks but didn't loosen her grip on the blanket. Reid kept an eye on her as she sank back against the door, she didn't seem to be going into shock, but he'd seen people hold it together after the event, only to break down completely hours or even days later. After a moment she looked up and caught his gaze,

"I'm fine." She assured him after assessing his worried frown, "I'm not going to freak out."

"I know." Reid turned back to the road. They rounded the corner and the wide police building came into view. Cars filled the street; police cruisers, news vans as well as the row of FBI Suburbans. The glass front doors stood open and a crowd of reporters and curious spectators jostled for position in front of the cameras. Even 100 yards away, with the engine running and windows up, the excited yelling was clearly audible.

"Oh God." Allie shrank even lower in her seat, pulling her knees into her chest and folding the blanket in front of her face.

"Don't worry, we'll go around the back." Reid reassured her.

"Actually," Allie lowered her arms, looking at him over the edge of the blanket, "Can we go somewhere?"

"Go somewhere?" Reid frowned, "Where do you want to go?"

"I don't know. Anywhere." Allie shrugged in a failed attempt at nonchalance, "I guess I could eat."

Reid nodded in understanding and accelerated, passing the sea of reporters unnoticed.

Reid turned the SUV into the parking lot, pulling alongside the narrow building. He climbed out slowly, allowing Allie time to walk around the car before letting her lead the way inside. The café was in the midst of their morning rush so he guided Allie towards one of the only free seats, by the front window. She stiffened and stopped causing him to almost walk right into her.

"I don't want to sit there."

"Oh." Reid looked around for another option, "Uh, where do you want to sit?"

"Down there." She pointed to a booth in the back corner. Reid nodded and picked a path between the randomly placed tables to slide onto the worn bench. Allie sat opposite him, looking at her hands. Her shoulders were tense and she didn't make eye contact as she whispered, "Sorry."

"Don't be." Reid shook his head and held up a hand to halt the approaching waitress, signalling her to give them a minute. "Why did you want to sit here?"

"I just didn't want to be by the window." Allie spoke to her hands, too embarrassed to look up. "What if he's watching?"

"Do you think he's been watching you?"

Allie shrugged heavily, her eyes filling with tears despite her desperate efforts to keep them at bay, "I don't know. Probably not, but he saw me." She finally raised her eyes to meet Reid's, "He _killed_ my friends but I got away. What if he's going to come back to finish the job?"

"We're going to find out about this guy. Find out what he wanted, why he targeted your friends,"

"Why he didn't try harder to kill me too." Allie interrupted.

Reid paused for a moment before swallowing and continuing, "It's all things that we'll figure out, and once we do, we'll catch him. It's what we do."

Allie nodded, drawing a long, slow breath to steady herself, "I know. You guys are the best. Em told me."

"She's good you know, your sister," Reid motioned for the waitress to return, "Get Prentiss on a mission and the guy doesn't stand a chance."

"I know." Allie rolled her eyes, her smile watery but for the first time, genuine, "She's always been like that."

The waitress arrived, distracting Reid from answering as they ordered breakfast. As he thanked her, he noticed Allie studying him curiously.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"I thought you were a doctor?" She blurted, breaking eye contact and focusing on her glass of water as soon as the words escaped her lips.

"I am." Reid confirmed. "You don't believe me?" He pressed when she didn't respond.

"How come you have a gun then?" She motioned to the holster on his hip.

"I'm an agent too."

"Oh." Allie nodded, stirring the water with her finger, watching as the ripples broke on the edge of the glass. "Aren't you kinda young?"

"To be a doctor or an agent?"

"Well, both, I guess."

"I graduated university early."

"How early?" Allie looked up curiously.

"I was 16 the first time." He smiled, watching as her eyes widened, successfully distracted for the moment.

"Wow."

"Yeah, I- hang on." He paused, reaching into his pocket for his ringing phone. "Reid here." He stood, motioning to Allie that he'd only be a moment.

"No!" She yelled, grabbing his arm and preventing him from moving away. "Don't leave." The blind panic in her eyes stopped his half formed reassurances that he wasn't going far.

"Ok." He nodded, sinking back into his seat to take the call.

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**Christiansburg Police Department**

Hotch stood motionless before the whiteboard; the edges of which were lined with portraits. Six in total, plus three of typical suburban homes. Typical, except for the police tape surrounding them. JJ entered the room behind him, clearing her throat gently so as not to startle him. He turned to face her,

"Everything sorted?"

"Chief Winchester has agreed to let us run the investigation. We have the majority of his men on standby to use as we need. He's walked you through what they know?"

"Yes." Hotch turned back to the board, "It's not much."

"How far away are the others?"

"Right here." Morgan strode into the room, followed closely by Emily.

"What'd you get from the scene?" Hotch asked, moving to sit at the large, round table in the centre of the area.

"Not much. It was pretty clean." Morgan joined him as Emily looked around with a frown, "Where's Allie?"

"Reid took her to get breakfast. She wasn't keen on the cameras." JJ explained motioning to the crowded street outside.

"Oh." Emily nodded pulling out a chair, "I guess it's better that we can talk without her here anyway."

"She'll still need to run through the night with us. In detail." Hotch warned and Emily nodded,

"I'll talk to her."

"Actually, I don't think that would be the best idea. You shouldn't even technically be working this case."

"What?" Emily paused halfway into her chair, "You're not seriously considering taking me off it?"

"No." Hotch conceded, "But it's personal so your role _will_ have to be kept to a minimum. And stay unofficial."

"Allie isn't even a victim." Emily pointed out.

"She's still involved, and personal feeling can cloud judgement. I'm keeping you here for Allie, she needs you right now."

"But you don't." Emily sat down heavily, sounding hurt.

"That's not it at all." Hotch's tone softened.

"He's covering our ass." Morgan jumped in, "You know how the Bureau gets about personal involvement."

"I'm not sending you away and I'm not cutting you out. But if anyone asks, you're not _officially_ working, got it?"

Emily looked across the table at Hotch, throwing her boss a tired but grateful smile, "Thank you."

"Right." Morgan walked towards the board, studying the pictures carefully, "What do we know so far?"

JJ walked around the room, handing out brown folders to each team member, "Six murders so far. Three couples, all in their early to mid twenties, all in established relationships, all killed together."

"Jealousy could be a motive." Morgan suggested as he flipped through his copy of the reports.

"The first two had the same MO," JJ continued, "Taken from their homes in the middle of the night, no sign of forced entry."

"They could have known their attacker." Emily pursed her lips in thought.

"It's a small town," Hotch thought aloud, "Security isn't a huge issue."

"Right," JJ nodded, "Local police say it's not unusual for doors to be left open at night." Looking back at her paper she carried on reading, "Both couples were reported missing the day after they disappeared."

"Wait," Morgan held up a hand, "They weren't killed at the scene?"

"No, they were held somewhere. The houses were searched, both came up clean for prints and had little, if no sign of a struggle. Here's where it gets weird,"  
"Because it's been so _normal_ up till now." Emily muttered and JJ threw her an ironic smile,

"Sadly, it has. Exactly a week after they disappeared, the bodies turned up...in their own homes."

"Hidden?" Morgan asked.

"No. Neighbours found the first couple; Margaret Keyes and Simon Brown in their living room. And Anabel Lewis' mother found her daughter and her boyfriend of five years, Anton Clare on their bed. Their bodies were badly beaten, and all had lost a noticeable amount of weight."

"They were tortured and starved."

"What about the latest?" Hotch asked.

"Brianna Dawson and Zachary Carmichael. We don't know a lot about them, the families still need to be notified and questioned but hopefully Emily and Allie will be able to fill in some gaps for us." JJ looked to Emily who nodded.

"I don't know much. I've known Bree since she was a freshman at Virginia Tech with Allie. They've been best friends since then. I'd never met Zach."

"We didn't get much from the house." Morgan looked at the corresponding picture on the board, "No sign of forced entry, and not a great deal of a struggle."

"If he's kidnapping his victims, why did he kill Bree and Zach at the scene?" JJ asked, scanning her files again for answers.

"Allie interrupted him." Emily spoke quietly, looking around the group, "She said she saw him and he chased her."

"He must have known she'd called the police." Hotch surmised, "He panicked and killed the others before anyone could get there."

"Why didn't he hurt _me_ then?"

Everyone turned towards the new voice. Allie stood in the doorway, Reid apologetic behind her, "Bad timing, sorry."

"It's ok." Emily motioned for Allie to join her at the table as Hotch regarded her carefully,

"He didn't attack you because you don't fit his target victim. He's going after couples, he was there for your friends and not you."

"You weren't supposed to wake up." Morgan picked up where Hotch left off, "When you surprised him, you said he chased you?"

"Yeah," Allie nodded unsteadily, "I ran and locked myself in my room."

"Did he know you were calling 911?"

"Yes, he was trying to get in and I yelled that the cops were on their way."

"That's when he realised he didn't have time to complete his MO and went off track."

Allie sucked in a quick, shallow breath, "It's my fault?"

"No!" Emily jumped in quickly, reaching to rub her sister's arm, "You did absolutely everything right."

"But I interrupted! I made him panic!" Allie looked at the faces surrounding her. They were masks of sympathy but no words could get through. Her thoughts were broken, coming in fits and starts, like a cut up film. She could see Zach, lying so still but still alive, she _knew_ he'd still been alive. And Bree...she would never forget the look in her best friend's eyes. It would haunt her until the day she died.

"Allie," Emily grabbed her shoulders roughly, forcing her to look into her eyes, "None of this is your fault. _None _of it. Do you hear me?"

"But, I-"

"It's not your fault." Emily repeated, pulling her into a tight hug. "We're going to catch this bastard and you'll see how messed up he is."

"She's right," JJ spoke more calmly than Emily and Allie couldn't help but listen to the logic in her voice, "You did exactly what anyone would have. Exactly what you should have done."

"Maybe you shouldn't be in here." Morgan suggested, "Reid, take her into the staff lounge for awhile."

"Actually, I need Reid here." Hotch countered, "Emily, you go."

Emily nodded and gently pulled her crying sister to her feet. As she lead her from the silent room, she thanked whatever powers had ensured Morgan thought to cover the pictures on the board when Allie arrived.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Oaks Victorian Inn**

Allie forced herself to smile as she was shown to her room. The landlady pointed out the amenities quickly out of habit, though she knew she could be speaking in tongues for all the girl was listening. Alone for the first time all day, Allie set her small bag down on the bed. Emily hadn't know what to pack so she was left with the first mismatched clothes her sister had come across. Her room was simple, blue and filled with antiques. The bathroom door was almost hidden behind an old fashioned partition and Allie headed straight for the shower. Climbing in before the water had time to heat, she let the frigid cascade fall over her. Lining the shelf next to her head, were a wide selection of shampoos and body washes. Reaching out for the nearest one, she emptied the entire bottle onto her skin, rubbing her body raw, unwilling to stop until she felt clean. Somewhere in her subconscious she knew that feeling wasn't going to come. The desperate need to shower, to wash the day's events off had been in the back of her mind all day; ever since she walked into the café with Reid and realised she was walking around town in her pyjamas with unbrushed hair and teeth. The stares had made her uncomfortable, but the blatant way both the BAU team and the uniformed officers ignored her appearance was worse. It didn't help to know that they were so unaffected by the sight of someone unable to dress or groom themselves, someone who was too scared to go back into their own home to take care of their basic needs. The fact that the officers didn't bat an eyelid made her feel dirty and tainted, like she was simply another statistic. Another person who had been affected by violent crime, but miraculously lived to tell the tale. It sure didn't feel miraculous. She'd lost count of the amount of times she'd been forced back into that house over the course of the day. Not physically, she doubted even Morgan was strong enough to force her over that threshold, but mentally and emotionally, she'd been trapped at that address all day. Going over and over the same events until they seemed like some far off dream. As she'd sat in the tiny room, at the basic wooden table, she began to feel as if she was describing the plot of a movie she'd seen rather than actual events. She'd relived that night from every angle, seen it through five other sets of eyes, heard a thousand different theories on who and what the guy could be. And yet, still she understood nothing.

With a sigh, she turned the dial cutting the water flow. Reaching for a towel, she patted her hair half heartedly, leaving it to dry on its own. With the towel wrapped around her body, she went back to the main room, eyeing her pyjamas with contempt. She wasn't thrilled at the prospect of putting them back on so soon after finally getting dressed. Her bag was heavy as she pushed it off the bed. It landed awkwardly wrong way up on the floor but Allie didn't bother to move it, no one else would see. She climbed onto the tall bed, burying her face in the pillows without climbing under the plush duvet. She was exhausted, physically, mentally, emotionally, every part of her being was drained but sleep refused to come. Frustrated, Allie rolled onto her back, staring at the bleak ceiling with a scowl. Her desensitisation in the safety of the police station was one thing, but alone in her quiet room the images returned with a vengeance. Unable to close her eyes, she lay motionless, counting the ceiling tiles, then when she'd done that countless times she began to multiply them. As the numbers got bigger and the maths harder she felt her anger grow. Sleep wasn't coming. Repositioning onto her side, the towel that had seemed so soft and new earlier now scratched and twisted in all the wrong places. This small annoyance suddenly seemed magnified and she felt tears begin to form in the corners of her eyes. Angrily Allie threw herself off the bed, landing unsteadily on her feet. She was done crying.

Emily's room was directly across the hall, they had the only two rooms on this floor. Allie didn't bother knocking. Emily was sitting at the small desk, awkwardly placed in the corner of the room. She looked up when Allie stormed in.

"What's happened?" She was on her feet and instantly at her sister's side.

"Nothing." Allie shook her head, blinking back the tears, suddenly embarrassed by her dramatic entrance, "I just can't sleep."

Emily nodded in understanding, "I thought you might have trouble."

"Coulda warned _me_." Allie muttered, watching as Emily searched through the side pockets of her bag.

"I hoped I wouldn't have to." Emily smiled dimly, finding what she was looking for and crossing the room to pull Allie into a tight hug. "I got you these."

Allie took the small bottle, looking to Emily for explanation when the contents rattled.

"Sleeping pills. I don't exactly sleep well myself these days."

"Thanks." Allie unscrewed the lid, struggling a moment with the child proof lock. Once the bottle was open, she shook the pills onto her palm.

"There's water on the table." Emily motioned to a large carafe on the low table next to the fireplace.

Back in her own room, Allie resumed her inspection of the ceiling. This time however, she wasn't counting anything in particular, just running through the numbers. The light on the bedside table was annoying her to no end but she couldn't bring herself to turn it off. The prospect of being alone in the dark filled her with a terror that 24 hours ago she would have dismissed as irrational. Now she wasn't so sure.

She was well into the thousands when she realised the sleeping pills weren't going to work. She was too keyed up for sleep to even be a distant possibility. Climbing out of bed, she wandered into the hallway. The inn was unnaturally warm so she was comfortable in Emily's borrowed pyjama shorts and old tshirt. The hall lights were on but it was quiet as she headed downstairs to the lounge. Bookshelves lined the walls and an old record player stood proudly in the corner near the window. Running her fingertips lightly over the polished wooden shelves, Allie scanned the selection. Everything from the classics to a small section of trashy romances were represented. With a wry smile, Allie selected a thin paperback, turning it over to examine the seductively posing couple on the cover. Broad shouldered and masculine, with golden hair falling into his eyes, the man stared into the distance while the scantily dressed woman at his feet gazed up at him, adoration written clearly across her face. Allie moved across the room towards the huge wing-backed chair that sat next to a tall lamp. Placing the book on the seat, she turned her attention to the record player. Growing up, her grandparents had owned one similar and on the rare occasions they'd been allowed to visit, Allie had been fascinated with the old machine. After a quick inspection it seemed to be in working order and she looked around the room for something to play. A small cabinet behind the hall door caught her attention and she walked closer. Opening the intricately designed wooden doors she felt her hope rise for the first time all day. Lining the shelves inside were bottles of every shape and type she could wish for. Vodka, Barcadi, Midori, Gin, Scotch, just to name a few. Reaching inside, she pulled out the closest bottle of gin and turned back towards her seat. Maybe she would sleep tonight after all.

Straight gin was never going to taste good but Allie forced the first few gulps down. It would only get better.

There was a small stack of records on a shelf under the player and she selected one at random, settling back into the chair as the unfamiliar music played quietly in the background. Without the sharp edge of silence, she felt calmer. Opening the book, she began to read the simple text. Her mind wasn't on the story and despite its simplicity, she quickly lost track of the characters and plotline. Reaching for the bottle, she took another long swig. The liquid burned as it went down, warming her from the pit of her stomach. Another mouthful and she knew the alcohol had met the drugs in her bloodstream. The words on the pages before her started to swim, the book moving in and out of focus. Gratefully she let the heaviness take her over, her eyelids drooped and eventually closed. She felt herself slipping lower in the chair, losing her grip on the book and the bottle but she was only dimly aware of them hitting the floor. She was moments away from finally losing her last shreds of consciousness when a voice demanded her attention. It broke through the haze, but only barely. She felt something touching her. Hands on her face, turning her head to look up. With great difficulty she forced her eyes open. Blurry light nearly blinded her and it took her a moment to make out the person looking down at her.

"Hey." She slurred, her tongue heavy and uncooperative.

With a sigh, Reid crouched down in front of the chair. Allie fought to sit up straighter to meet his gaze. He was studying her carefully, concern plainly written across his face. Her body seemed determined to act of its own accord; her mind was still too sluggish to stop her hand from reaching out and brushing a stray lock of hair from his face,

"You've pretty eyes."

"Thank you." He smiled reluctantly, subtly picking up the half empty gin bottle and moving it out of her reach. "Do you always drink alone?"

"You're welcome t'join me."

"Looks like you're about finished." He straightened up, holding out a hand for her to grasp. "C'mon, I think it's time you went to bed."

"Ok." Allie agreed easily. She wasn't sure why she was still in the lounge anyway. Nothing here was holding her interest. Reid pulled her to her feet and quickly grabbed her waist when her knees gave way. Leaning heavily against him Allie concentrated on forcing one foot in front of the other. Her feet felt like they were made of concrete and she was exhausted before they'd even reached the stairs.

"I'll sleep here." She decided, letting go of his hand and allowing her knees to collapse. She didn't hit the floor like she was expecting and looked up in confusion. Reid was patiently waiting for her attention, his arms stretched as he supported her full weight.

"You're not sleeping here."

"No?"

"No." He shook his head firmly and Allie nodded, allowing him to continue leading her towards the stairs. They paused for a moment at the foot of the staircase and Allie looked up it mournfully, it seemed to stretch forever. Shaking her head and trying to force the haze from her mind she returned her attention to lifting her feet onto each step. Reid still carried most of her weight or she would have had to crawl.

"Rest." She blurted seconds before her knees gave way again. This time he let her down, gently helping her to sit on the step. He sat next to her and she was acutely aware of his eyes on her. Shame welled up inside her, no one should have to see her like this, especially not an FBI agent she barely knew. She was tempted to ask him to go wake her sister but stopped herself. Emily didn't need the extra worry.

Allie had hoped that sitting down would clear her head but the lack of movement simply allowed the cloud to descend on her again. Her limbs were frustratingly heavy, the effort it took to keep her head up was exhausting. After a moment she gave up, allowing herself to rest against Reid's legs. He made no move to stop her and as her mind slid back towards the relief of unconsciousness she was dimly aware of his hand moving in gentle circles on her back. Sleep took over as for the first time since she'd awoken nearly 24 hours earlier, she felt warm and safe. The reality she'd have to face in the morning seemed nothing but a distant inconvenience.

Reid looked back over his shoulder as footsteps padded lightly along the hall. After a moment JJ appeared at the top of the stairs. She paused, surprised to see her path blocked. Taking in Reid and the sleeping Allie; she moved closer, whispering as she crouched next to him, "You alright?"

"Yeah." Reid nodded, "She found the liquor cabinet."

"Oh." JJ nodded understanding, "Do you want me to get Prentiss?"

Reid shook his head, "We probably shouldn't worry her, she's stressed enough as it is."

"Yeah." JJ agreed, raising an eyebrow as she saw how deeply asleep Allie actually was, "So what's your plan? Just going to sit here till she wakes up?"

"No." Reid shifted slowly, lifting Allie's head gently so he could slip out from under her. She stirred but didn't wake as he lifted her into his arms, "She's light." He said, surprised at how easily he was able to carry her.

"I'll get the door." JJ walked up the stairs ahead of him and opened Allie's bedroom door. Reid placed her gently on the bed and pulled the duvet over her sleeping form. Half waking, Allie murmured her thanks before rolling over and back into oblivion.

* * *

The first light was barely visible as the team gathered in the small kitchen. Clouds hid the rising sun, swirling thick and angry low in the sky. The trees outside the window collected the misty rain, holding it in their leaves before finally releasing it in sporadic, fat drops. Emily leaned against the old fashioned bench, steaming mug of coffee in hand, watching as Morgan rummaged through the cupboards. With a defeated sigh he grabbed a box of pop-tarts, opening it as he crossed the room to join Hotch and Reid at the flimsy wooden table, "I still don't see why it was necessary to send the chef away."

"Privacy." Reid shrugged, reaching for the box. Morgan snatched it away before he could help himself to the remaining tarts.

"Your idea I do believe." Emily added as JJ came down the stairs. "Good morning."

"Not so good." JJ shook her head grimly, holding up her phone, "Sheriff just called, he wants us to meet him at the house."

"Allie's house?" Reid raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Neighbours reported some kind of disturbance there last night."

"They think it was our unsub?" Morgan asked.

"They're not sure. They want us to take a look before they jump to any conclusions."

"It doesn't fit the profile." Emily thought aloud, placing her cup in the sink and turning towards the others in the dining area. "He only goes back to the houses to dump the bodies. Why go back empty handed?"

"And it hasn't been a week." Hotch mused, standing and pulling his suit jacket from the back of his chair.

"He could have been looking for Allie." Reid suggested, "We thought he would come back for her."

"No." Hotch shook his head slowly, "He'll be watching her, he'll know she's with us and not at the house."

"So he'd know the house was empty, what could be there that he'd want?" JJ frowned. Her phone began to buzz as she spoke and she looked down at it with a grimace, "It's Strauss. I'll meet you guys outside."

Morgan swallowed his last mouthful and stood, throwing the empty box across the room and into the open rubbish bin. He allowed himself a small moment of celebration before falling into step behind Hotch towards the foyer.

"I'll stay with Allie." Emily said, reaching up into the high cupboard for a new coffee mug. She knew better than to wake her sister empty handed.

"No." Hotch paused, "I need you at the house. You're the only one who will know if something has been disturbed."

"We can't just leave her here alone." Emily paused, her hand clenching the cupboard handle tightly, "Not if he's watching her."

"JJ can stay." Hotch's tone left no room for argument and Emily followed him out of the inn, throwing a worried look up the stairs as she passed by them.


	4. Chapter 4

Morgan pulled the Suburban to a stop against the curb, throwing it into park as the rest of the team climbed out. The original crime scene tape still surrounded the house and Detective Winchester lifted it as he walked towards them. He didn't react to the crowd of reporters jostling with the street's residents for a better view. With a nod of greeting, he motioned the agents around behind the group, towards the back of the house. Even from the yard it was obvious that some serious damage had been done. The three windows along the side of the house had been broken from the inside and the glass crunched underfoot as they walked. The sliding back door hung off its hinges and Winchester motioned to it,

"We think they kicked this in to get inside."

Emily was the first to step across the threshold. She moved slowly across the kitchen as the others filed in behind her. It was impossible to take in everything at once. The entire place was destroyed. It was obvious that whoever had been here had taken their time. Every cupboard was open and the contents littered the floorboards. Shards of broken plates and glasses lay amongst bent and twisted cutlery. Cereal and crushed biscuits were some of the more identifiable food that had been thrown everywhere. The fridge door stood open, a slimy mixture of juice and milk running down the sides to the floor. Leftover Chinese had been smeared across the front and along the benches. The first police on the scene had turned the tap off, but it was plain to see it had been left running for the majority of the night. Water marks were clearly visible on the wooden shelves below the sink and puddles remained on the ground.

Without a word, Emily moved past the broken table in the dining area, carefully stepping over an upturned potted plant, into the living room. Like the kitchen, every window was smashed from the inside. The couches had been slashed, the tattered pieces of fabric hanging listlessly from the once regal back and arms. Emily swallowed heavily, the couch was a gift to Allie from their grandmother in her will. She herself, had received the matching chairs. Allie had often joked that the couch was lonely and she was going to make the sacrifice and move to DC so the set could be together. Emily always laughed it off, she would never encourage Allie to give up her life here, but secretly hoped that now she had graduated, Allie would come to live with her. Under the circumstances she guessed that was more than likely going to happen now. Not exactly the way it used to play out in her mind.

Drawing herself back to reality, Emily tuned into the conversation taking place behind her.

"It has to be our unsub." Morgan insisted, "Who else would come in here and cause this much damage?"

"Kids?" Winchester suggested with a shrug, "Crime scene tape tends to be a pretty strong magnet and this place was _all _over the news yesterday."

"Not likely." Hotch said. "Kids would have broken a few windows but not every single one."

"Whoever did this was here for a long time." Morgan looked around as he spoke, moving towards the centre of the room where Emily stood. "I would say he broke the windows last. Neighbours would have noticed so much glass breaking. He trashed the inside first, probably starting in the kitchen and moving through the house, finishing in the bedrooms."

"Then he would have retraced his steps back down to here, breaking the windows." Emily nodded motioning to displaced patches of debris near the walls, "You can see where he had to walk across his handywork."

"What was the damage like in the bedrooms?" Reid asked, finally finishing his close examination of the kitchen and heading past the team for the stairs.

"I haven't been up there myself, but my deputies said it was a must see."

Frowning at his words, Emily fell into step behind Reid, climbing the stairs two at a time. He hesitated at the top of the staircase, unsure of the room layout and she strode past him, leading the way along the short hallway. The bedroom door on the left was wide open, showing the destroyed room. Even the mattress had been thrown from the bed and ripped to shreds. Morgan and Hotch went in, scanning the room for anything that might give them a clue. The familiar door on Emily's right was shut. With a deep breath and her heart in her throat she gently turned the handle and swung the door open. She froze, allowing Reid to step past her and inside first. Not a thing was out of place. In fact, knowing her sister's distinct lack of tidiness, Emily knew it had been cleaned since she'd been in here previously. Then, the bedsheets had been thrown back, the duvet balled up on the floor from when Allie had gotten up to investigate the strange noises. Now it was made with hospital precision, each corner tucked in perfectly and Allie's small assortment of cushions and stuffed animals sat neatly against the pillows. Emily's stomach lurched at the thought of someone touching them. The toys weren't simply a girly collection, they all held some meaning; purchased by to commemorate an important event or gifted by someone special. Without thinking, Emily reached for the small patchwork bear at the front of the row.

With uncharacteristically fast reflexes Reid grabbed her wrist, "Don't touch anything."

"Sorry." Emily shook her head, pulling her hand free, "I didn't mean to, it's just that bear. I bought it for her when our dad left." She explained, turning away from the memories to examine the rest of the room. Like the bed, it was all tidied. The clothes that had been covering the floor the previous day were all moved; hanging up in the closet as she soon found. She shuddered, vowing to buy her sister a whole new wardrobe. Allie would never want to touch these things again. Against the wall behind the door, the surface of the usually cluttered desk was clear; Allie's books lining the shelves neatly. Reid looked over her shoulder with a frown,

"Did Allie always organise her books by genre and then author and year within that?"

"No." Emily shook her head, "She usually kept them in whatever order she happened to put them on the shelf."

"Oh." Reid said, moving closer to read the titles. Emily turned away, walking over to the window – the only unbroken one in the house – and looked out onto the street below. The early morning cloud was lifting, giving way to a beautiful day. The sun seemed out of place in the circumstances. Was the weather _supposed_ to be good when you were profiling the attempted murderer of your baby sister? Glancing down, Emily felt her lip curl at the sight of the crowd of onlookers. They were at every crime scene, but they'd never looked so much like vultures before. Did they have no empathy? How would they feel if it was their family so under the spotlight?

"Prentiss?" Hotch asked from the doorway, pulling her attention back into the room. "You ok?"

"Fine." Emily forced all expression from her face. "Are we done here?"

"I think you are. Why don't you head back to the hotel? You can stay with Allie, we're going to need JJ here to deal with that lot." He motioned to the reporters on the street.

"You don't need me here?"

"I think you could use the break. And you're not officially here, remember?"

"Right." Emily nodded, knowing better than to argue. "I'll send JJ back. Call me if anything comes up."

Hotch promised before turning to Reid, asking the young doctor to run him through what they'd found. Emily slipped from the room, pausing only when Morgan squeezed her shoulder as she passed him.

"Chin up kid." He said quietly, "We'll get the bastard."

* * *

The bed and breakfast was quiet, the midday sun streamed in the open windows creating patches of warm light throughout the room. Allie lay on the couch, her legs stretched into the closest patch. The tv was on and she was staring at it but taking nothing in. She had turned the volume down low enough that she could clearly hear JJ typing on her laptop in the dining room next door. On the screen, reality show contestants were stripping to their bathing suits and arguing over something, but Allie couldn't say what or even name the prize they were competing for. Her mind was drifting listlessly and every now and then she would jolt back to reality with no recollection of what she'd just been thinking. She supposed she was dozing. Her stomach grumbled; more a sound of defeat than demand. She couldn't think of the last meal she'd finished. Lunch and dinner at the police station had been takeouts but she'd spent more time pushing the food around the plastic plate than actually eating it.

A few years ago, Bree had talked her into taking a first aid course for extra credit at the university, so she knew everyone reacted to the shock of trauma in different ways. Apparently it was choosing to manifest itself in her as a complete lack of appetite. Usually she would have congratulated herself on her amazing willpower, but starving wasn't going to achieve anything. With a deep breath, she hauled herself upright. She thought her feet hit the ground lightly but heard JJ pause her tapping on the keyboard. Allie was grateful for the presence of the agent but couldn't help feeling like a charity case. What would happen if it took months to catch this guy? What if they never caught him, would the BAU babysit her forever? She doubted it and the thought of being alone and unprepared filled her with unspeakable terror.

Shaking the thoughts from her mind, she headed for the kitchen. Ice cream was her drug of choice when everything got overwhelming. While it was doubtful it would help her now, she was willing to try anything to keep her mind firmly in the present.

The sun had moved further around the house and only a muted light filtered through the kitchen window. Allie flicked the light on as she passed and the bare bulb stuttered into life. The shiny, stainless steel fridge/freezer was the only modern thing in the room. The owners had gone to great lengths to ensure the décor maintained the Victorian era feel the inn's name suggested, but certain allowances had been made; the fridge and the showers being the two most notable. Allie pulled the heavy door open and leaned forward to look inside. It was the most organised freezer she had ever seen. The bottom shelf was full of perfectly stacked meat, wrapped in brown paper and labelled with the type, cut and purchase date. Milk and ice cubes lined the shelf in the door and bags of vegetables and microwave meals sat above the meat. There wasn't a tub of ice cream to be found. With a sigh, Allie let the door swing itself shut and turned dejectedly towards the dining room. As she moved towards the double doors separating the rooms, she became aware that JJ was talking. Frowning she pushed the doors open and slipped into the room. The door clanged shut behind her and JJ and Emily looked up from the computer.

"Hey." Emily smiled, "How're you feeling this morning?"

"Uh, what?" Allie shot an accusing look at JJ. She had sworn that last night's shameful episode would stay between the two of them. Well, three including Reid. Allie cringed inwardly, the shame clawing higher in her chest as she remembered how patient and gentle he had been with her. She made a mental note to apologise to him as JJ widened her eyes innocently and shook her head slightly behind Emily's back.

"I'm fine." Allie quickly plastered a smile across her face. She knew Emily wouldn't buy it, but 'hangover' wouldn't be her first guess of reasons.

"Good." Emily's smile was equally fake. She motioned to JJ who was packing the laptop and pile of folders into her bag, "JJ is leaving to meet up with the others so I'm going to stay with you."

"You don't have to." Allie blurted, misreading the subdued tone of her sister's voice as reluctance. "I'll be ok."

"I want to."

"Are you sure? Coz I-"

"I'm staying." Emily interrupted, her tone leaving no room for argument, "You're not staying here, or _anywhere_ alone."

"Ok." Allie agreed, her shrug nonchalant while inside, her stomach unclenched just a little. "Thank you for staying this morning." She added to JJ as the latter lifted the heavy bag off the table and onto her shoulder.

"No problem. It was nice to have some peace and quiet to work in for a change." JJ smiled and with a nod to Emily, was gone.

"So," Emily walked around the table towards Allie, "what have you been doing all morning?"

"What's the house like?" Allie asked before Emily could distract her.

"Um." Emily hesitated and Allie knew then that she didn't want to hear it. JJ had been vague in her explanation but Allie had overheard enough of the phone calls that had been coming in near constantly to form a picture of a trashed house in her mind.

"Never mind." Allie shook her head as Emily opened her mouth to form very carefully considered words. "I don't want to know."

"Alright." Emily nodded, looking relieved, "Have you had lunch?"

"No, I want ice cream."

"For lunch?" Emily started to argue before deciding to go with it. She had been taking note of Allie's lack of appetite with growing concern. Ice cream might not have been as nutritious as she'd prefer but it was a step in the right direction.

"Yeah." Allie nodded. "Can we go for a walk and get some?"

"What's wrong with what's here?" Emily wasn't keen on leaving the relative safety of the B&B. While it was unlikely the unsub would try anything in broad daylight on a busy street, she wasn't willing to put anything past him until they knew more.

"There isn't any here." Allie read her sister's expression in a glance. "We'll be fine to go out. It's not far and I'm going crazy being stuck in here all day, it's boring and I need some air. My thoughts are really _not_ a place I want to be in right now." She was getting close to begging and she didn't care. Now that the idea of leaving the inn, even if it was only to go 200 yards up the road, had occurred to her, she wasn't going to back down. "It'll be sweet, you're all kung-fu badass with your gun and my ability to scream _really_ loudly is coming along in leaps and bounds."

The joke won Emily over. Seeing Allie animated for the first time since they'd arrived wasn't something she could say no to.

"Ok," She conceded, her tone becoming stern as she grabbed her jacket off the table and headed for the door, "but just there and straight back."

Smiling at the small victory, Allie stepped outside, breathing in the fresh air deeply. The chill burned her nostrils and she relished the feeling, hurrying down the steps to the driveway, careful to stick tightly to her sister's side.

* * *

The sunlight filtered through the leaves creating dappled yellow patches on the bark covered ground. Birds flittered in the branches overhead, oblivious to the beast below; he was no threat to them. He managed to blend into the small pockets of shadow, his dark jacket almost perfectly matching the tree he hid behind. A burned out cigarette rested between his lips. The ash hung percariously off the end but he was too distracted to flick it off. Between the thick branches, he had a reasonable view of the road, centring on The Oaks and right now his full attention was focussed on the two women emerging from the tree-lined drive. He recognised the younger girl instantly and rage flooded to every extremity of his body as he watched her chatting comfortably with the brunette agent. It was all her fault. If she'd just stayed asleep like she was meant to, he wouldn't be standing here. He would be sleeping through the night, not skulking in bushes, watching as the cocky FBI agents went through the motions of investigation. If that damn girl had just played the game, everything would be different. The night would have gone to plan and right now he would be preoccupied in an entirely different way. He would be happy and that stupid girl would be safe. Too bad she'd gotten up, tried to be the hero and ruined it all. Now he couldn't rest and she would have to pay.

Twigs snapped beneath his feet as he shifted through the garden to keep the pair in sight. They seemed too familiar to have just met. They were talking as though they had other sources of conversation than the situation that had brought them together. His eyed narrowed; had he unwittingly targeted the relation of a FBI agent? A light smile twisted his lips. This could not be more perfect.


End file.
